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Even fire truck can blow a steer tire
UPDATED AS OF 5:07 PM
I had planned on sharing photos of the Parade in Maysville which I will do later this evening. But for right now, I will ask that you keep our Hubert Guardians in your prayers.
Anyone who has ever driven a fire truck, or a tanker, knows that the last thing you ever want to happen is to have a front tire blow out. especially not with the current larger, heavier fire engines. the water load, the shear weight of the engine.. make such situations the last thing ANY firefighter ever wants to deal with. The results are often NOT good.Usually such situations end up with trucks on their side, or roll-overs. Often the firefighters involved do not fare well. It’s hard to control at any speed.
The last thing one expects on a six month old set of new tires, not retreads is a blowout.
Engine 812 represented Hubert well today in the Maysville Christmas Parade as our Guardians have so many times in the past… After the parade they took the normal Stella route to head back to Hubert… but today, without warning… something went very… very wrong. It could have been much worse than it was. Everyone on the rig is alive and recovering as I type this… but there were injuries.
When the front tire of an engine the size of 812 blows and drops it creates a phenomenon called plowing which makes a rig very uncontrollable and pulls the rig in the direction with strong force, of the blow out. It is very hard to keep a rig upright, as any truck driver that has ever driven a tanker can tell you. It takes every once of strength one has.
Today, one of those six month old new tires blew on the truck the community bought, Hubert’s beloved 812, and the engine suffered catastrophic damage. Chief Joseph Williams was banged up pretty badly, but managed to bring the engine to a stop upright, with all crew surviving. Two firefighters were uninjured. Two had minor injuries and one, a firefighter our Community loves, Firefighter Schaffer was pinned, had to be extricated, and flown to Vident. His injuries though non life threatening were major, and effected a lower extremity. He definitely is in need of our prayers as physicians evaluate how to repair his leg this evening.
The speed the engine was traveling at was well within the speed safe limit for that road. A subject following behind the vehicle as the crash happed saw the tire break apart and watched in horror as the front of the rig dropped to the pavement, as the Chief struggled to keep the engine upright as the “plowing” pulled it toward the ditch on the side of the road.
UPDATED POST:
I would first like to extend my deepest and most sincere gratitude to the crew of West Carteret Fire and Rescue, Swansboro, Bear Creek, and Onslow County Sheriffs Office, who by all parts did a stellar job on the scene; to Lifeflight for getting Firefighter Schaffer to Vident in such a timely manner. My appreciations to the responding State Trooper who kept the crew calm, and documented well the scene.As I said, tonight could have been much worse. ALL involved are expected to recover, though it may take a while for the Chief and firefighter Schaffer. Trucks can be replaced, good people cannot.
Four fighters are temporarily out of commission. Thankfully the Guardians have a strong volunteer team and will carry on as the four recover.
The Hubert Guardians maintain FULL REPLACEMENT insurance on the rigs…. so once everything is sorted out… and the crew recovers we will see a replacement of our beloved community engine. 812 is not a county truck.. it belonged to the people of Hubert who paid for it.
So tonight I ask you to keep the Guardians in your prayers. Chief Joseph Williams, and the crew that were on the rig today in the parade.
How much damage can a forty mile per hour accident when a plowing incident occurs with a full size fire engine. Plenty. Thank God the crew will recover. JM
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